In a concerning development, the US government revealed on Thursday, Apr. 11, that Russian hackers had breached Microsoft corporate emails, potentially compromising passwords and sensitive information, heightening cybersecurity risks for multiple federal agencies. 

As a result, The Washington Post reported that the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued a rare directive to affected agencies, mandating a change in compromised log-ins and urging thorough investigations to mitigate further risks. 

The breach has raised concerns over the security of government agencies and major corporate customers. Although it remains unclear what information the hackers obtained from the exposed agencies, CISA officials are working to assess the potential risks to national security. 

The hackers, associated with the Russian military intelligence agency SVR, are known for their sophisticated cyber operations and have previously targeted strategic targets.

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US Government on Microsoft

Unfortunately, the recent breach only escalates the strain in the longstanding relationship between the US government and Microsoft, as the tech giant faces increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. 

For context, Microsoft's Windows operating system, Outlook email, and other software are integral to the operations of various federal agencies, giving the company significant responsibility for safeguarding federal cybersecurity. 

Yet, earlier this year, VCPost stated that Microsoft caught hackers from Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran using only ChatGPT, which should have been nothing compared to their security systems, but a breach happened nonetheless.

It's worth noting, however, that these cybersecurity attacks are not exclusive to Microsoft accounts. Even the US Cybersecurity Agency had its two critical systems attacked.

The Biden administration has yet to comment on this matter.

READ MORE: Two Critical US Systems Hacked, Forcing US Cybersecurity Agency To Shut Them Down